Now I order you to retain this creed for your nourishment throughout life and never to accept any alternative, not even if I myself were to change and say something contrary to what I am now teaching, not even if some angel of contradiction, changed into an angel of light, tried to lead you astray. For even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which you have now received, let him be accursed in your sight. – St Cyril of Jerusalem
Whispers in the Loggia: The Table Has Turned – Pope Sets Bishops A-Blase
Well, that was quick – less than a month since Cardinal William Levada’s 80th birthday left Washington’s Cardinal Donald Wuerl as the lone American member of the Congregation for Bishops, the Pope has added a second hand in his top Stateside pick to date.
At Roman Noon today, Francis tapped Archbishop Blase Cupich of Chicago to join the all-important Thursday Table, which recommends appointees to the pontiff across the developed world. The first Windy City prelate to sit among the 30 Hatmakers, the move provides a significant boost in the handling of the US’ sprawling docket of nods, and likewise ensures that the process will produce choices in the “pastoral” mold which the Pope explicitly indicated to the membership shortly after its 2013 reboot.